


First Encounter - Confidante Lee

by faustianpixie



Series: Daily Lives of Regular Palace Residents 1- Soonhoon [9]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Confidante Lee Seokmin, Consort Kwon Soonyoung, First Meetings, Friendship, Guard Jeon Wonwoo, Guard Kim Mingyu, King Lee Jihoon, M/M, Other Characters introduced in other parts, Prince Lee Chan, Sentimental
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25434718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faustianpixie/pseuds/faustianpixie
Summary: "...My guards and I have lost our way to the Royal Consort Kwon’s quarters. Would you happen to know where they are?”The man gave a brilliant smile. “Of course your Highness! I happen to be one of Soonyoung-hyung’s friends!”Soonyoung-hyung. They seem very familiar with each other...“The High warden assigned me to Soonyoung-ssi when he was here for a mere two months! We’ve grown to become friends. My name is Lee Seokmin!”CONTEXT FOR NEW READERS (9/53 - Present):King Lee Jihoon recently encountered the intriguing Consort Kwon Soonyoung in court and is curious as to how he missed the presence of this man for two years he has been here. And that the Consort had let that happen. His Prime Minister, Guards and friends seem to know him and yet he doesn't. So he decides to pay a visit.
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo & Kim Mingyu, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi & Lee Chan | Dino, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi & Lee Seokmin | DK, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Jihoon | Woozi
Series: Daily Lives of Regular Palace Residents 1- Soonhoon [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828549
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43





	First Encounter - Confidante Lee

**Author's Note:**

> THANK YOU FOR TUNING INNNNN!!!  
> I recently crossed 200 kudos for the series and 2000 hits T_T and I can't be more grateful to all of you who have put your trust in me! I won't let you down! I've already finished the 18th in the series and therefore am trying to make it a bit more nuanced.  
> THANK YOU FOR COMMENTING  
>   
> FAUSTIAN PIXIE

Jihoon was lost.

_ Of course I would get lost! I haven’t been to the Harem in ages _

“Wonwoo....Mingyu...where are his quarters? Why are we in some other Lady’s Courtyard?” Jihoon asked with gritted teeth. He had wanted to meet the Consort before going to court, but his guards had taken him to the centre of the harem and found themselves clueless as well.

“Apologies My King.” Wonwoo said blankly.

Mingyu snickered to the side. “He really doesn’t go around here.”

“Oh? And you do?” Jihoon asked.

Mingyu smirked. “Maybe.”

“What Mingyu wants to say, My King, is that the Royal Consort will be busy at this time of the day. It doesn’t seem ideal to-”

“Oh? So you again know more about him than you showed that day didn’t you. Where had you all gotten away with keeping such secrets?”

Jihoon was getting very irritated being left out of this loop as well. First Seungcheol and now Mingyu and Wonwoo. They hadn’t been this way before. They were thick as thieves. He would know them so well. Now, they seemed so foreign. It grated on his nerves.

Mingyu seemed to notice that and came forward.

“Hyung, we are friends with his confidantes. But they refuse to come during Dawn. Or Dusk Or High Noon. Something about a ritual they have.”

Jihoon raised an eyebrow. He had never heard about that.

“Um...Are you lost?” A voice came behind Wonwoo and Mingyu.

They turned and Jihoon was faced with a man who was rather....well, he didn’t know how to describe him. The man seemed too gentle. There wasn’t an edge on the man. All soft smiles and eyes. Unlike the Royal Consort, who had an edge to his appearance, gait and demeanour, this man seemed like he couldn’t hurt a fly.

The man locked eyes with Jihoon.

“Oh! Your Highness! I apologise!”

The man bowed fully.

“Not necessary. In fact you are a boon. My guards and I have lost our way to the Royal Consort Kwon’s quarters. Would you happen to know where they are?”

The man gave a brilliant smile. “Of course your Highness! I happen to be one of Soonyoung-hyung’s friends!”

_ Soonyoung-hyung. They seem very familiar with each other... _

“The High warden assigned me to Soonyoung-ssi when he was here for a mere two months! We’ve grown to become friends. My name is Lee Seokmin!” There was a beaming smile filled with teeth that accompanied the statement. It now seemed obvious how Seokmin was familiar with the Royal Consort. But this smile didn’t make his heart bounce oddly so he left it.

“I will lead you there, your Highness, if you are willing to wait for sometime.”

Jihoon frowned.

“His ritual isn’t over yet.”

“Then I shall observe it. Take me to his quarters.”

That way Jihoon’s increasing curiosity would be amply satisfied until the Royal Consort finishes. 

“Ah. About that.”

Jihoon frowned.

“It’s a...private engagement.”

“Private?”

Jihoon had never heard of that. He was good friends with the King of the West and never had he heard of the existence of such a ritual. True, he hadn’t met the king at dawn, he was sure the existence of such a ritual would have reached his ears.

“Yes your Highness. I...I don’t know the details. I’m only given specific timings off everyday. But the Crown Prince comes and visits at that time. So you could possibly get details from him.”

_ Who was this man? If he was off in the afternoon how did he know who visited _ ?

“I see. Thank you. So where must I wait?”

“Right this way your Majesty! Soonyoung-hyung had moved a bit away from most of the complexes because he wanted some privacy. He prefers the seclusion.”

Jihoon listened intently. One’s space often spoke a lot about the person themselves. Maybe he could learn more this way.

“Is Prince Chan there today?”

“No...I believe he is sparring with Jeonghan-hyung.”

_ He knows not only about the Consort but everyone in the palace most likely. _

“Ah. So the Royal Consort chose to be isolated from the rest of the harem?”

Seokmin shrugged. “I believe it wasn’t his intention Your Majesty. If it were the case, his residence wouldn't matter.”

Jihoon frowned. That was something that didn’t sit well with him.

“I think you should explain. Wonwoo-hyung and Jihoon-hyung aren’t the riddle kind.”

Seokmin nodded patiently with a broad smile.

“If Soonyoung-hyung would be part of the main quarters, he would have been just as isolated as he is now. These women didn’t take the news of a man entering their space very well. And if trouble were to come to him, no matter how isolated he was.”

Seokmin led them through a ring of trees into a quaint residence with a small pool on the side and a large courtyard. There was even a small swing attached to a frame next to the pool where one could dangle their feet in. Jihoon liked this. There was a comforting warmth in the entire complex. A feeling of being with nature. He would love to meditate here.

The dyes in the curtains fluttered a pale green that blended with the melange of green that littered the gardenscape. So tranquil. But the most appealing part of this place, to Jihoon, was the lack of packed complexes and onlookers.

“Where is the Consort?”

“There is a pool inside. In the centre. However I choose to take the afternoon off mostly and do not join them. Sometimes I hear the sound of drums, but that is it, your Highness.”

Jihoon was getting increasingly intrigued by this residence. Each Consort was given a courtyard where they could host dinners or the King. But this was the first he had seen it being converted into an area with restricted access. Even for the King. 

The Royal Consort seemed to be the only way to get to the answers.

“Tell me Seokmin-ssi.” Jihoon asked. “Does the Consort go outside the palace much?”

Seokmin’s eyes hardened but he kept a smile. “Not much...only specific days a month.”

“Do you know what he does there?”

Judging by the slight stiffness, Lee Seokmin was well aware of his friend’s actions. Years of experience with Jeonghan and Joshua had got him used to deducing that even from the hardest of spies. Otherwise he wouldn’t be King.

“I’m afraid not your Majesty. I remain here and use the time to report to the High Warden.”

Jihoon sighed. This man wouldn’t give the Consort up, but also, maybe, there was nothing to give up. 

_ No. Everyone has a secret. We just have to search for it. Then most likely we will have to investigate on our own the Consort and search for Hoshi today afternoon. _

Resolute, he tried to shift the topic to a basic question he had been meaning to ask Seokmin.

“So you help the Prince with what then?”

Jihoon prodded. If everyone else seemed very close, why was Seokmin not sitting in for this mysterious ritual? The question got shifty eyes in response.

“I help him understand some differences in culture I guess.” Seokmin gestured toward a seat on the patio to the house. Jihoon took the seat. “I honestly don’t know what I do to help here, your Majesty, but so far Soonyoung-hyung hasn’t asked me to leave so I am inclined to stay by his side.”

“Did he want you initially? By his side I mean?”

Seokmin looked at the doors to the residence with a look of fondness.

“No. I don’t believe he did. But he tolerated me. That toleration became habitual and here I am. Able to call him hyung, able to scold him, able to talk of him with happiness. It took a lot to get here. And hopefully we will stay as we are.”

“Permanence is a dangerous thing to wish for Seokmin-ssi.” Wonwoo said.

Seokmin pondered and then gave a laugh. 

“Wonwoo-ssi is right. Permanence is dangerous. If plants stay as plants forever, they may be weak forever. So I hope we grow together from now on. Into strong trees to make the most beautiful forest anyone has ever seen.”

Jihoon smiled and nodded. He would join that forest if he could.

~~~~~~~From the Personal Account of the 6th South East King, Lee Jihoon, Woozi~~~~~

**Author's Note:**

> THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT SO FARRRRR  
> This is the introduction of Lee Seokmin and mostly a prelude to the depth of character and teaser to the meeting between King and Consort! So i do hope this raised more questions that it answered! I know suspense is painful but we'll get there in three pieces no worries ;)
> 
> QUESTION FOR COMMENTS: Would you guys be interested in an INTERLUDE? I might give choices then after introducing all characters if it is okay by y'all.  
>   
>   
> PLEASE COMMENT YOUR ANSWER BELOW  
>   
> THANK YOUUUU  
> FAUSTIAN PIXIE  
> @Myalurks This is my public twitter ID! Do interact uwu


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